Massachusetts Historical Society, 1154 Boylston St, Boston, MA | Get Directions »
FREE
In this gallery talk, Peter Drummey will explain why John Adams believed July 2, 1776 would be the most memorable day in the history of America.
About the Exhibition:
On 2 July 1776, the Continental Congress resolved "That these United Colonies are, and of right, ought to be, Free and Independent States." In a letter written to Abigail Adams on 3 July 1776, John Adams reflected on the event and summed up what it meant for Americans of his own time and in the future. He writes that the day will be celebrated with, "Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." Adams seems to have understood more clearly than any other member of the Continental Congress the momentous importance of the vote for independence on 2 July, 1776 and how it should be celebrated. He was right about everything except the date. On 2 July, in celebration of America's independence, the MHS will open an exhibition of letters and documents relating to this important moment in United States history. The exhibition will be on display through 31 August.
| Where | Massachusetts Historical Society 1154 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215 |
| Next on | This event is over. |
| Time | 10:00 am–11:00 am |
| Who to bring | Everyone |
| Website | http://www.masshist.org/events |
| Price | free and open to the public |
The Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) is an independent research library rich in manuscripts and artifacts of American history. The MHS is accessible to anyone with an interest in the country's history and remains committed to the idea that public knowledge of the nation’s past is vital to its future.
The MHS offers free exhibitions, public lectures, tours, brown bag lunches, seminars and workshops for teachers. Every year the MHS welcomes more than 1,000 researchers to the library, including 40 fellows, more than 600 teachers to workshops and in excess of 2,000 people to its public and scholarly programs.
The MHS holds 13 million documents, including 120,000 photographs, 10,000 broadsides and thousands of paintings, maps and artifacts. This includes a set of personal papers from three presidents: John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson as well as millions of pages of manuscripts and other materials that promote the study of the history of Massachusetts and the nation. The library is free to the public.
